1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to imaging systems and in particular to a method and apparatus for wide area x-ray imaging. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for rotating an anode in a wide area x-ray imaging system.
2. Background
An x-ray machine or system uses electromagnetic radiation to produce an image of an object. This type of image is usually produced to visualize something below the surface of the object. An x-ray system may include an x-ray source, an x-ray detection system, and positioning hardware to align these components. The x-ray tube is often times a vacuum tube that produces x-rays on demand. Within an x-ray tube, an emitter in the form of a filament or cathode is present that emits electrons into the vacuum tube. An anode also is present in the tube to collect the electrons and establish a flow of electric current known as a beam through the tube. When electrons from the cathode collide with the anode, energy may be emitted or radiated perpendicularly to the path of the electron beam as x-ray beams.
Vacuum tubes including rotating anodes have been extensively used as x-ray tubes in which the anode includes a rotating x-ray emitting track bombarded by electrons from a cathode. The anode is rotated such that only a small portion of the anode is bombarded by the electrons at any time. As a result, the electrons may distribute over a relatively large surface area. Currently, the use of a rotating anode has been performed to prevent the anode from overheating.
The current x-ray systems use rotating anodes to provide a stationery beam over a large area that rotates to reduce cooling needs. Most current uses for x-rays actually produce x-rays for a small amount of time.